Paper-folding machinery



.im 1o, 192s.

W. O. BLAKE PAPER FDLDING MACHINERY Filed Nov, 6, 1926 In/venirci,

attorney'.

Patented Jan. l0, 1928.

' UNITED STATES WILLIAM 0. BLAKE, E SIDNEY, OHIO.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINERY.

Application led November 6, 1926. Serial No. 146,607.

This invention relates to paper folding machines of the kind which includes one or more'folding mechanisms of the loop type.

The principal object of theinvention is toprovide a folding machine in which the looper or grid of one or more of the loop mechanisms may be used to perform'its normal function of looping the sheet, or used as part of a knife folding mechanism. Other v1o objects and advantages will later appear.

' In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodyin my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view wlth .the

near frame removed; in other words, a view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an end view on line 37-3 of Fig; l, but with the right hand portlons. of Figs. 1 and 2 omitted. This and the other figures of the drawing are rather diagrammatic in character, gears, belts and .other 'operating connections well known and in common use in this art being omitted.

It being understood that the machlne has the necessary frame structure, only part of refer thereto, but merely describe 'the parts directly concerned. with my invention.

Briefly, my machine consists'of a plurality:

of folder mechanisms, such as A, B, C and D, all of which but C are, in the present case, ofthe well known loop type, C bemg of the equally well known knife type. These folder mechanisms are so arranged that papers J can be given a single fold in A, or two parallel folds in A and B, C and D then remaining unusued. Or they may be folded 1n A and then passed to the knife mechamsm C, where they are folded at a right angle to Vbe dropped to a packer, not shown, or directed to mechanism D and given a fold parallel to fold C.

Folder mechanism A comprises the usual looper .or grid, consisting of slightly spaced plates or ids 10 and 11, feed rolls 12 and 13, and olding rolls 13 and 14. Folder mechanism B comprises slightly spaced plates or grids 15 and Y16, feed rolls 17 and 18, and folding rolls 18 and 19. Following the custom inthe art the plates orgrids 10 and 11 will be referred to collectively as a grid; also the grids 15 and 16. Pivotally mounted betweenfolders A and B is a guide or "deflector 20, adapted to occupy either of positions.

which is shown in the drawing, I shall not` `still in the bite of rolls 17-18`the sheet will the fold received in A. From C they may two positions. In one ofthese positions, as in Fig. 2, this deflector directs papers` `emerging from folder A to the bite of the feed rollsl' and 18 of folder B. When in its other position, indicated with dotted 6o lines, this deflector will direct the papers to a stacker or other receptacle, not shown. Means, not shown, is provided for maintaining the deflector in one or the other of these 65 Mounted below the grid 15, in suitable bearings not shown, are the vfolding rolls 25 and 26, forming part of the knife mechanism C, the axes of these rolls being at right angles to the axes of the rolls of the folders A and B. These rolls are preferably placed close to the under side of the grid 15.' The knife 27 of this folder is above the grid 16, andcarried by arms 28 mounted on a rock shaft 29. The knife is adapted to pass between the bars of the grids 15 and 16 to tuck papers lying between the `grids into the bite of the rolls 25 and 26. In fact, this is an ordinary knife folder, except that the grid of folder B is used for supporting the papers to 'be folded by this knife folder C, in lieu 0f the tape conveyer'or table generally used. The grid is provided with an adjustable stop device 30, and folder B or folder C will'function according to the position of this stop with'reference tofthevsize of the sheets entering the id. If the stop is set in a position such t at the leading edge of the sheet reaches the stop while the sheet is 0o loop and be folded by rolls 1-8 and 19 in the usual way of a loop folder. But if the sheet leaves the bite of the rolls 17-.18 before its leading edge encounters the stop, the sheet will continue its movement into the grid ung5 til itis arrested by the stop, and it will be tucked between rolls 25 and 26v the next time the knife descends. Inasmuch as the sheet will leave the bite` of rolls 17--18 before it reaches a position to be folded with` the knife, auxiliary feed rolls 31---32 are `provided to carry the sheet to the stop 30..

It is not to be understood, however, that other means may not be used for this purpose and for reventing rebound of the Mechanism for such purposes and for constantly rotating one or both of the rolls 31--32 bein common in this art, it is not necessary to i lustrate or describe it here. Norv is it necessary to illustrate or describe kcomprising the grid 35, feed rolls 36 and mechanisms for rotating the various rolls and operating the knife, all of this being well known in the art.

Below the knife folder C is `the folder D by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Suitable mecha nism, not shown, is provided for holding the deflector in one or theother of its positions.

Utilization of the ygrid or folder B as a table for the knifefolder C simplifies the structure and renders it more compact. Furthermore, it .does .away with tapes ordinarily used tocarry and position the sheet `for the knife C. All that is necessary to put the folder C into action is to set the stop 30 in the proper position and start the mechanism for operating the knife and the roll ers 31 and 32. I believe I am the first to utilize the grid of a loop folderv as an element ina knife folder and I wish to claim that broadly. While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of various embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

I claimi l 1. In a paper-folding lmachine, a loop'.

folder comprising feed rolls and a grid a knife folder comprising folding rolls an a knife, said latter rolls being situated on one not shown when the deiector. occupies the position indicated knife, said latter rolls being below and the knife above the grid, the grid having an aperture through which the knife passes to tu'ck sheets reposing in the grid into the bite of the folding rolls, a stopwhereby to arrest sheets at the proper place in the grid to enable the knife to tuck them between v the folding rolls, and means for moving the sheets to said stop. K

3. In apparatus for folding paper a loop folder comprising a grid, a knife fol er com-l folder, and an adjustable stop to arrest sheets sition of said stop determining whether said loop folder or knife folder shall fold the Sheets.

5. In a paper folding machine, a loop folder comprising feed rolls and a grid, a knife folder comprising folding rolls and a knife, the axes of said knife folder rolls being at an angle to the axes of the loop folder rolls, and means for positioning sheets in the grid to be folded by the knife and folding rolls.

6. 'lhe combination in a paper folding machine, of a loop folder, folding rolls and the knife of a knife folder, and means for selectively using the grid of the loop folder normally, to loop the sheets, or as a support for the sheets to be folded by the knife and folding rolls.

WILLIAM o. BLAKE.

'at predetermined points in said grid, the'poy sok 

